Aircraft cabin equipped with a safety device and associated process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11851183-B2
Application number	US-202017077684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2020
Priority date	Oct 23, 2019
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

An aircraft cabin includes at least one seat able to receive at least one passenger; at least one table arranged opposite the seat; and a safety device able to be mounted on the table, below the table or received in the table. The safety device includes a deployable protection assembly including an airbag deployable from a retracted idle configuration to a deployed safety configuration, and a system for controlling the deployment of the or each airbag, able to trigger the deployment of the airbag beyond a threshold deceleration value of the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft cabin comprising:
at least one seat configured to receive at least one passenger;
at least one table arranged opposite the seat; and
a safety device configured to be mounted on the table, below the table or received in the table, the safety device including:
at least one airbag, the at least one airbag being deployable from a retracted idle configuration to a deployed safety configuration of the at least one passenger seated on the seat, and
a controller configured to control the deployment of the at least one airbag, and to trigger the deployment of the at least one airbag beyond a threshold deceleration value of the aircraft,

the table being a dining table which comprises a tray, the tray comprising at least one base extending at all times in a plane parallel to a cabin floor,
wherein the at least one airbag is mounted on the tray or received in the tray,
wherein the tray comprises a base and at least one flap that is movable relative to the base between a stowed configuration in which the flap is folded on the base and a usage configuration in which the flap is deployed in the extension of the base.

2. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one airbag is received in a thickness of the tray of the table.

3. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one airbag is mounted below the tray of the table.

4. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one airbag is received in a thickness of the flap of the table.

5. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the flap comprises a foam covering fixed on the flap, the at least one airbag being received in the foam covering.

6. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the safety device includes a removable protection pad configured to be mounted on the table, the at least one airbag being received in the protection pad.

7. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one seat includes a first seat oriented facing the front of the aircraft, the at least one airbag comprising a first airbag mounted facing the first seat, the first airbag deploying above the table in order to protect a torso and a head of a passenger seated in the first seat, and/or
the at least one seat comprising a second seat oriented facing the rear of the aircraft, the at least one airbag comprising a second airbag facing the second seat, the second airbag deploying below the table to protect lower limbs of a passenger seated in the second seat.

8. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the table defines or bears a housing for receiving the safety device and includes a cover for closing the housing, the cover defining part of an outer surface of the table.

9. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the safety device includes a case receiving the at least one airbag and an inflater configured to inflate the airbag.

10. The aircraft cabin according to claim 9 , wherein the controller includes a battery configured to supply electricity to the inflater or wherein the controller includes an electricity supply connection connected to an electrical supply of the aircraft and to the inflater.

11. The aircraft cabin according to claim 9 , wherein the controller controlling the deployment of the at least one airbag is received in the case.

12. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a deceleration detector and a processor configured to analyze deceleration measurements taken by the detector in order to activate a deployment of the at least one airbag when the deceleration measured by the detector is above the threshold value.

13. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the table is arranged with no direct mechanical connection with a seat opposite which the table is arranged.

14. The aircraft cabin according to claim 1 , wherein the table comprises at least one leg and a tray supported by the at least one leg.

15. A method for protecting a passenger of an aircraft comprising:
installing at least one passenger in a seat of the aircraft cabin according to claim 1 ;
detecting, via the controller, a deceleration of the aircraft exceeding a threshold deceleration value;
deploying the at least one airbag in a space opposite the at least one passenger, between the seat and the table.

16. The method according to claim 15 , comprising keeping the table in a plane parallel to the cabin floor at all times.

17. The method according to claim 15 , comprising keeping the table in a high position throughout during taxi, takeoff and landing phases of the aircraft.

18. An aircraft cabin comprising:
at least one seat configured to receive at least one passenger;
at least one table arranged opposite the seat; and
a safety device configured to be mounted on the table, below the table or received in the table, the safety device including:
at least one airbag, the at least one airbag being deployable from a retracted idle configuration to a deployed safety configuration of the at least one passenger seated on the seat, and
a controller configured to control the deployment of the at least one airbag, and to trigger the deployment of the at least one airbag beyond a threshold deceleration value of the aircraft,
wherein the at least one seat includes a first seat oriented facing the front of the aircraft, the at least one airbag comprising a first airbag mounted facing the first seat, the first airbag deploying above the table in order to protect a torso and a head of a passenger seated in the first seat, the at least one seat comprising a second seat oriented facing the rear of the aircraft, the at least one airbag comprising a second airbag facing the second seat, the second airbag deploying below the table to protect lower limbs of a passenger seated in the second seat.

19. The aircraft cabin according to claim 18 , wherein the table has a forward facing edge and a rear facing edge, the rear facing edge being configured to be covered by the first airbag deploying above the table, the forward facing edge being configured to be covered by the second airbag deploying below the table.

Assignees

• Dassault Aviat

Inventors

• Germe Lionel Patrick
• Picut Emmanuel
• Levavasseur Alain
• Boulo Erwan
• Guerard Jérémie

Classifications

• B64D11/0621 Primary

  Airbag initiation or activation means · CPC title

• B64D11/0601

  Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight · CPC title

• B64D11/0605

  including tables or desks · CPC title

• B64D11/0638

  with foldable tables, trays or cup holders · CPC title

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title